Dioxins and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality
Conclusions
The results of this systematic review suggest that dioxin exposure is associated with increased risk of mortality from both IHD and all CVD, although more strongly with the former. Although biological plausibility is provided by animal studies, uncontrolled confounding by other risk factors for CVD cannot be ruled out as a contributor to the association.
We hope our results will stimulate further evaluation of CVD incidence and mortality in dioxin-exposed cohorts, especially using internal comparisons with detailed exposure assessments, and careful control for confounding. Future studies in both animals and humans should assess whether cardiovascular effects are present at environmentally relevant doses. Of additional interest would be analysis of whether the association between dioxin exposure and all CVD persists when IHD cases are excluded, as well as a pooled or meta-analysis of the internal comparison results in order to obtain a dose–response curve for dioxin and CVD.
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We all know the Ranch Hand study was flawed form the very beginning, the scientists are all in agreement on this issue now, it is time for the DOD and the Veterans Affairs to accept the facts this study concludes and to care for the Vietnam Veterans and veterans in other places where the dioxins were used, Panama, DMZ in South Korea, Edgewood Arsenal, Fort Greely Alaska, also thoughts must be given to the men who served in these places in the decades after the toxins were freely used, the ground and the water tables are contaminated and the potency lasts for decades, children in Vietnam are still getting sick, and we last used AO there in 1973? The veterans exposed to these toxins deserve the medical care and compensation the exposures can possibly be linked to.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Agent Orange and other dioxins do cause heart disease
